Abstract
Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI), a disorder in which gas filled cysts develop within the bowel wall, is a rareentity. We report a case of PCI in a case of bronchial asthma (BA) developing during the administration ofprednisolone, which was recognized by the presence of free air in the abdominal cavity. A 77-year-old female with ahistory of schizophrenia, diabetes melitus, constipation and bronchial asthma, was admitted to our hospital withexacerbation of BA precipitated by infleuenza type A virus infection. She had been taking prednisolone for BA. In thecourse of her treatment, X-ray and CT revealed intestinal pneumatosis and free air in the abdominal cavity, whilephysical examination, revealed no abnormal findings and the WBC count and serum CRP were within normal range. She received conservative treatment for the PCI: that is, prednisolone was withdrawn and she was kept nil by mouth.The intestinal gas cysts and intraabdominal free air disappeared spontaneously. In our case, PCI could have beencaused by the rupture of the pulmonary alveoll secondary to severe BA, by the increased intraluminal pressure of theintestine secondary to constipation, or by the steroid administration itself.
